Patch antenna assemblies

Abstract

Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of multilayer printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) that integrally define or include patch antenna radiating elements. The radiating elements may be defined or formed from electrically-conductive layers of the PCBAs. Also disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of antenna assemblies, systems, or modules comprising such multilayer PCBAs.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A printed circuit board assembly consisting essentially of:
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the printed circuit board assembly along an upper surface of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 one or more components along a lower surface of the printed circuit board assembly; wherein the printed circuit board assembly comprises a multilayer printed circuit board assembly including: 
 a top layer of electrically-conductive material etched to integrally define the patch antenna element; 
 a bottom component layer including the one or more components; 
 a first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed; 
 a second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; 
 a ground plane integrally defined by an inner electrically-conductive layer of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the ground plane is between the first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed and the second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are disposed. 
 
     
     
       2. The printed circuit board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the patch antenna element configured to be operable with one or more satellite navigation frequency bands or satellite digital audio radio services. 
     
     
       3. The printed circuit board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more components comprise a low noise amplifier surface mounted to the lower surface of the printed circuit board assembly, whereby the low noise amplifier and the patch antenna element are parts of the same printed circuit board assembly. 
     
     
       4. The printed circuit board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more components comprise a low noise amplifier, a microcontroller, a gyroscope, a receiver, and a controller area network transceiver. 
     
     
       5. A printed circuit board assembly consisting essentially of:
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the printed circuit board assembly along an upper surface of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 one or more components along a lower surface of the printed circuit board assembly; 
 wherein the printed circuit board assembly comprises a multilayer printed circuit board assembly including: 
 a top layer of electrically-conductive material etched to integrally define the patch antenna element; 
 a bottom component layer including the one or more components; 
 a first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed; 
 a second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; 
 a ground plane for the patch antenna element within the prepreg and between the first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed and the second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are disposed; and 
 one or more internal signal layers within the prepreg and between the ground plane and the second core layer. 
 
     
     
       6. A printed circuit board assembly consisting essentially of:
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the printed circuit board assembly along an upper surface of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 one or more components along a lower surface of the printed circuit board assembly; 
 wherein the printed circuit board assembly comprises a multilayer printed circuit board assembly including: 
 a top layer of electrically-conductive material etched to integrally define the patch antenna element; 
 a bottom component layer including the one or more components; 
 a first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed; 
 a second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; 
 a ground plane integrally defined by an inner electrically-conductive layer of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the ground plane is between the first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed and the second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are and 
 one or more internal signal layers within the prepreg. 
 
     
     
       7. A printed circuit board assembly consisting essentially of:
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the printed circuit board assembly along an upper surface of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 one or more components along a lower surface of the printed circuit board assembly; wherein the printed circuit board assembly comprises a multilayer printed circuit board assembly including: 
 a top layer of electrically-conductive material etched to integrally define the patch antenna element; 
 a bottom component layer including the one or more components; 
 a first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed; 
 a second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; 
 a ground plane integrally defined by an inner electrically-conductive layer of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the ground plane is between the first core layer defining the upper surface along which the patch antenna element is disposed and the second core layer defining the lower surface along which the one or more components are disposed; and 
 one or more internal signal layers between the ground plane and the second core layer. 
 
     
     
       8. The printed circuit board assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising electrically-conductive printed traces and electrically-conductive vias for electrically connecting the patch antenna element to the one or more components. 
     
     
       9. An antenna assembly comprising a base, a cover coupled to the base such that an interior is defined between the cover and the base, and the printed circuit board assembly of  claim 1  within the interior. 
     
     
       10. An antenna assembly consisting essentially of:
 a multilayer printed circuit board assembly having a top layer and a bottom layer; 
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the top layer of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 the bottom layer including one or more components along a surface of the printed circuit board assembly; 
 
       wherein the multilayer printed circuit board assembly includes:
 a first core layer; 
 a second core layer defining the surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; and 
 an inner electrically-conductive layer between the first and second core layers that integrally defines a ground plane for the patch antenna element. 
 
     
     
       11. The antenna assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the patch antenna element is configured to be operable with one or more satellite navigation frequency bands or satellite digital audio radio services. 
     
     
       12. The antenna assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more components comprise a low noise amplifier surface mounted to the surface of the multilayer printed circuit board assembly. 
     
     
       13. The antenna assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more components comprise a low noise amplifier, a microcontroller, a gyroscope, a receiver, and a controller area network transceiver. 
     
     
       14. The antenna assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the top layer comprises electrically-conductive material etched to integrally define the patch antenna element. 
     
     
       15. An antenna assembly consisting essentially of:
 a multilayer printed circuit board assembly having a top layer and a bottom layer; 
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the top layer of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 the bottom layer including one or more components along a surface of the printed circuit board assembly; 
 wherein the multilayer printed circuit board assembly includes: 
 a first core layer; 
 a second core layer defining the surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; 
 an inner electrically-conductive layer between the first and second core layers that integrally defines a ground plane for the patch antenna element; and 
 one or more internal signal layers within the prepreg. 
 
     
     
       16. An antenna assembly consisting essentially of:
 a multilayer printed circuit board assembly having a top layer and a bottom layer; 
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the top layer of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 the bottom layer including one or more components along a surface of the printed circuit board assembly; 
 
       wherein the multilayer printed circuit board assembly includes:
 a first core layer; 
 a second core layer defining the surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; 
 an inner electrically-conductive layer between the first and second core layers that integrally defines a ground plane for the patch antenna; and 
 one or more internal signal layers between the ground plane and the second core layer. 
 
     
     
       17. The antenna assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising electrically-conductive printed traces and electrically-conductive vias for electrically connecting the patch antenna element to the one or more components. 
     
     
       18. The antenna assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a base and a cover coupled to the base such that an interior is defined between the cover and the base, wherein the multilayer printed circuit board assembly is within the interior. 
     
     
       19. The antenna assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the one or more components comprise a low noise amplifier surface mounted to the surface of the multilayer printed circuit board assembly; and 
 the top layer comprises electrically-conductive material etched to integrally define the patch antenna element. 
 
     
     
       20. An antenna assembly consisting essentially of:
 a multilayer printed circuit board assembly having a top layer and a bottom layer; 
 a patch antenna element integrally defined by the top layer of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the patch antenna element is generally rectangular including a pair of truncated opposite corners; 
 the bottom layer including one or more components along a surface of the printed circuit board assembly; 
 wherein the multilayer printed circuit board assembly includes:
 a first core layer; 
 a second core layer defining the surface along which the one or more components are disposed; 
 prepreg between the first and second core layers; 
 a ground plane for the patch antenna element within the prepreg and integrally defined by an inner electrically-conductive layer between the first and second core layers; and 
 one or more internal signal layers between the ground plane and the second core layer.